Hmm... Does still seem like a lot of dots. Have you tried the dark band test? Any improvement there?

I have no dark banding on my unit.

---------- Post added 09-21-16 at 12:02 PM ----------

@MJKoski

Do you have white noise still when doing a 10-15 min exposure?

[MJKoski]

To be honest I have not paid much attention to this anymore. That is because the photos I have taken with the "serviced" unit have been very clean so far with Lightroom default noise reduction settings. Was not so with unserviced unit.

I will take some test shots but they will be ISO100 with dark areas pushed which was the original problem for me and long exposure ~high ISO PS shots. Astrotracer shows the band still when doing multiminute tracking. 10-15min will always show white noise with Sony 36MP chip without LENR.

My dealer is now discussing the swap to the loaner unit with Pentax and I will switch ASAP if they give green light.

[Nass]

Well, got the camera today and here is the result....

After and Before...

Yes I don't think either of these are acceptable, it's not right. Just look at the dark area on the right, full of white dots. I'd argue that you have every right to go back to them and ask them to get that fixed properly (on warranty of course), and point them to this thread. Unless I've got this completely wrong, this would definitely seem to be a fault with some bodies on which the necessary calibration hasn't been finished.

[Gimbal]

Doesn’t look too good, actually it looks awful.
Is it pushed in post or is that what 15 min at iso100 looks like? (100% crop I assume)

We should come up with some kind of test that everyone (who is interested) could replicate and compare results. I’m still not convinced that this isn’t “normal” for the K-1.

[MJKoski]

No it is not normal. My loaner was as clean as it could be. But remember, practical barrier for ISO100 with Sony 36MP sensor is somewhere between 3-4mins without LENR. A7r1 went longer but it does filtering and god knows what to the "RAW" file.

If using LENR on these longer times, the images are clean. Before the calibration LENR did not do a good job. I now am happy with the camera. Now it is time for me to learn when I need to turn on LENR and when I can leave it of.

Just so you'll know:

First image 15 minutes, LENR turned on. Backed -1 in post. No noise whatsoever. Second image LENR ON and pushed +4 stops in post and +50 on the shadows.
Alot cleaner than without the LENR.

(I also tested 4 minutes with and without LENR. There were negligible amounts of white dots. 5 of them on the first and 1 on the one with LENR.)

[MJKoski]

Your 4min result is in line with d800e, d810 and a7r1.

Your 4min result is in line with d800e, d810 and a7r1.

You wrote something earlier about 4 mins so I decided to test. Well, I guess I am finished with this subject for now.

[DeadJohn]

Are the dots more affected by exposure time or by ISO? For example, 15 minutes ISO 100 is a similar exposure to 1 minute ISO 1600. How do the white dots compare *without* LENR?

[Paul2660]

Are the dots more affected by exposure time or by ISO? For example, 15 minutes ISO 100 is a similar exposure to 1 minute ISO 1600. How do the white dots compare *without* LENR?

I find the white dots are much more noticeable with higher ISO's above 400. The longer exposure the more possible and probable they become. Your 1 minute at ISO 1600 may not be as bad as you think however, but it would be something you just need to try. However a 15 minute exposure at 100, might start to show them especially in the shadows.

So far in my astrotracer work, 2 and 3 minute exposures, I do not notice the dots in the sky hardly at all, but again they do show up in the shadows.

If you try pixel shift for 30 seconds at higher ISO's the dots IMO become the worst, won't do that again.

One facet I have noticed, and it's a positive one, is that the dots appear on my K1 only in the dark areas on the longer exposures. Recent example 2 and 3 minutes at 1600, 1200 and 800, (using moonlight for illumination star trail work), the dot only showed up in the shadow/darker areas. This is unlike my Nikon's which got the dots throughout the image.

Long Exposure Noise reduction on my camera removes around 95% to 97% of them, but I mostly don't use it due to the waste of battery life and time. Pentax locks you out of the camera and doesn't run this operation in the background like Canon does.

Remember, Capture One will open any of these problematic files, and remove all of the dots, without any damage to the file, unlike LR or Silkypix or Pentax's software. You need the Pro version of the software.

Paul C

[MJKoski]

Hmph, Pentax wants my "serviced" K-1 sent back to Sweden again. Well, meanwhile, back to loaner unit. But should it not come back perfect, I will ask all money back from Pentax gear.

[stevebrot]

Hmph, Pentax wants my "serviced" K-1 sent back to Sweden again. Well, meanwhile, back to loaner unit. But should it not come back perfect, I will ask all money back from Pentax gear.

Good luck with this latest service attempt. Should the camera still not meet your expectations, at least you have your Sony to fall back on. As for money back...your long-suffering dealer will be taking the hit along with Pentax.


Steve

[interested_observer]

Hmph, Pentax wants my "serviced" K-1 sent back to Sweden again. Well, meanwhile, back to loaner unit. But should it not come back perfect, I will ask all money back from Pentax gear.

I thought that you were going to be able to keep the loaner and kick back the original unit. I just do not understand Pentax....

[MJKoski]

Yeah I thought they would agree to swap it.

And well, ugh, I sold my Sony stuff as I decided on K-1...